Balanced Artist

Alex Hormozi has a great quote “you don’t become confident by shouting affirmations in the mirror, but by having a stack of undeniable proof that you are who you say you are. Outwork your self doubt.” Affirmations are great, but they are only step one. You actually need to implement a strategy that is going to actively bring those things into your life. To outwork your self-doubt, you just need di...

Most of the content we discuss in these episodes is with the intention of applying some of the tactics to your creative career. The feedback I’ve been getting lately is that listeners aren’t necessarily trying to have a career in the arts, but rather include creativity in their lifestyle, to balance the some of the linear parts of their lives. This episode is a bit of a shift from “career artist”...

I can't believe we have made it to episode 100! I have to thank 'consistency' for this milestone. That being said, I thought it would be a perfect episode to breakdown how Seth Godin discusses consistency in his book "The Practice". It is one of the main principals, if not the most important principal of become a professional creator. Some studies have even shown consisten...

When I have a creative block or busy with a bigger project, it's hard to stay consistent with releasing content, so I use this as an excuse to re-release  old work. "But my audience has seen or heard this stuff". Maybe not... Your audience is growing every day, so perhaps the new members are not familiar with your old content. For the people that have seen it, it’s a chance to dazzl...

Convergent thinking is the process of finding concrete and familiar solutions to problems. Artists swim in Divergent thinking pool, generating original ideas and new possibilities. Divergent thinking has a major drawback: it can lead to a lack of organization. While our brains are hardwired to make connections between ideas and explore multiple possibilities within the same thought process, this c...

It’s the beginning of the year, and we’re all fired up about our New Year's resolutions. You want to step up your game, create something that really resonates with your target audience, all that stuff. It is also a time to reflect on the year that has passed, and often feel deflated because you didn't achieve what you had originally intended to do. Althought you didn't meet the goal...

Men are programmed to find value in themselves through success, money and power. It’s hard to be in the moment.  If he can’t sit with himself then how is he supposed to sit with his family?  I have been conflicted lately about travel and parenting. This past year I think I spent more time in the air than on the ground. The kids are in school, so they couldn’t really come along for the ride. But th...

Even if you don’t plan to pursue your craft professionally, as long as you’re creating and in pursuit or development, if fills you with a sense of purpose. Until it falls off the rails.... You try everything to get back some momentum. Why does the world hate me? You complain yourself into a downward spiral. But when you complain, you make yourself the victim. You’re handing your power away. Instea...

We can all benefit from personal development, but what about the people who find it boring and one dimensional? Why not disguise it under a pop culture mask? If self-help is the medicine, then “Celebrity Self Help Podcast” is the spoon full of sugar to help it go down. We dive into the lives, backgrounds and careers of your favorite celebrities to uncover the secret sauce that got them to where th...

We know the stereotype. Jocks in high school always end up working for nerds in adult hood. Those organization skills, over preparedness, punctuality that gets us made fun of in our formative years, end up being the same soft skills that allow us to excel in the future. Obviously this is exaggerated a bit, but I do notice similar patterns among creatives. Some of the more naturally talented, right...

I am no stranger to limiting beliefs. I have released so much, and had it go nowhere that it is easy to get discouraged and assume that nothing will ever happen. BUT there have also been times where I didn't expect anything to happen and have been pleasantly surprised.  Doors open that you didn't realize existed to begin with. Let's discuss... ………………………………………… https://www.balancedar...

When they told him he'd never make it in country music because he played "piano", Phil decided to prove them wrong.  He wrote hit songs for Tim McCraw, Jo dee Messina and Colin Raye. Once he got his record deal, he released #1 songs like "just another day in paradise”, or "Six Pack Summer". Taking the long road and navigating his career one day at a time, embracing th...

Should you shoot for the stars, or play it safe? It depends. If you’re leading the football game 100 to 0, then you don’t need go go for a field goal. Just have some fun running some cool passing plays. But if it’s a close match, and there isn’t much time left on the clock, a field goal may be the best and only way to squeeze out a win. In creative work, I don’t think there is value in constantly...

Today we talk with Author Lisa Skinner, who is a behavioral specialist in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. In this episode we learn: -What are some signs of Alzheimer’s disease? -Can it be prevented? -How Viagra can prevent  Alzheimer’s up to 70% -How to support a family member who has been diagnosed. -Covid's effects on patients with  Alzheimer’s Lisa's book is av...

Have you heard of the term “incubation”? When I looked it up online, the first example they gave was the incubation of eggs. It’s basically the time before they hatch. You can’t crack the eggs early. The chicken isn’t ready yet.  The thought here is that we should rush things that aren’t ready to be exposed. We all want to cross things off our list, and move onto the next project, but sometimes le...

Have you ever questioned if you’re on the right path. You’re headed down a road that has some benefits, but unsure if ultimately it is the best use of your time or the destination you want to end. To find out, just look at someone in that field, 20 years ahead of you. If that’s not who you want to be, then you’re in the wrong career. Let's discuss how to audit your current situation.... ……………...

When you have kids, people say it's life changing, and they add so much value to your life. Then for the first several years, mostly the diaper stages, you think...this doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it that everyone was talking about. When does the reward for this diaper changing and sleepless nights come? Once you realize that nobody hands you a trophy when they turn 18 and congratul...

What is your mission? Is it to be a full time artist? If so, you need a measurable goal. Remember, when marketing yourself, the audience you perform for, isn't necessarily the audience you're selling to. Sell the benefits, not the features.  Let's discuss... ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist https://www.instagram.com/rorygardiner...

I was grateful to be asked by my friend Heather Parady to be a guest on her podcast "create community".  She asked me to help her be funnier. I told her she's already funny, but needs to optimize the tools she already has in her comedy tool belt.  Here is my discussion with Heather, and the intro is a brain dump of some things that we didn't discuss in the episode, but I though...

The way people consume entertainment now is completely different that 20 years ago. People don’t listen to full albums anymore, they listen to singles. Stand up comedy is even making a shift. Instead of sitting through an hour long Netflix special, people just watch chopped up bits on social media. Nobody likes change, but the good news is that this gives independent artists a shot to compete with...

What are you trying to do with your creative career? How do you know when you’ve made it? Is there goal you’re trying to reach? An annual income you’re trying to meet? Take the entertainment industry for example, because that is my industry. Achieving a level where you can do it full time is a good goal, but once you get there, then what?  Then there’s rewards and accolades you want to achieve. Ch...

You’ve heard the expression that your income is related to the 5 people you spend the most time with. Or your environment is directly correlated to who you hang with and where you spend most of your time. Your creative career is similar. If you spend 100% of the time the same circles you’ve always been a part of, how are you supposed to be introduced to new ideas, perspectives you never thought po...

Here is part 2, where we are joined by 2 of my favorite indie artists, Nicki Kris & Natalie Jean. We discuss why woman often don’t support other woman, and tips for licensing your music. We also dive in to how to be more aggressive with your email follow ups, and if TikTok is needed for artists today. Natalie & Nicki are co-founders of Sisters In Music (SIM) an organization that promotes a...

In this episode we are joined by 2 of my favorite indie artists, Nicki Kris & Natalie Jean. We discuss whether to niche down into a micro genre, or try spreading ourselves across multi platforms. Creating for entertainment vs making a social impact, and balancing a busy personal life & day job with your creative career.  Nicki Kris is a female singer / songwriter based in Raleigh, North Ca...

Some believe that you need to go all in on "plan A". Some want to play it safe with a "plan B". As Balanced Artists, we like to live somewhere in the middle(B+ ?!). This allows us to execute plan A from a place of creativity, rather than a place of desperation.  Let’s discuss…. ………………………………………… https://www.balancedartist.com https://www.facebook.com/BalancedArtist https://www.i...